If you are planning a career in tax preparation, one of the first requirements you will encounter is the Preparer Tax Identification Number, or PTIN. It is a simple registration that begins where tax preparation becomes regulated professional work.

The journey to becoming a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) has always rested on three requirements: education, experience, and passing the CPA Exam. For decades, the education piece meant one thing in nearly every state: 150 hours of college credit, roughly a bachelor's degree plus a fifth year of school.

If you've decided to become an Enrolled Agent, your next big decision is how you'll prepare for the IRS Special Enrollment Examination (SEE), more commonly known as the EA Exam. Search for EA Exam prep and you'll find everything from free question banks to low-cost apps to full review courses and more—and the price gap between these can be significant. It's tempting to let price make the call.

For accountants in India, the U.S. CPA license has become one of the most practical ways to build a global career without leaving home. You can sit for every section of the CPA Exam at Prometric test centers in India, and many Indian professionals now work on U.S. engagements for multinational companies, shared service centers, and global accounting firms.

Once you've committed to earning the Certified Internal Auditor® (CIA®) certification, the next choice is how you'll prepare for the three-part CIA Exam. The options range widely: free practice questions, inexpensive question-bank subscriptions, self-study textbooks, and full review courses, often at very different price points.

Advancing your career as an internal auditor means earning your Certified Internal Auditor (CIA®) certification. But if you already have a related professional certification, you may be eligible to join the streamlined CIA Challenge Exam program, which lets you get on the fast track to being a CIA. 

Periodically, we like to share CPA success stories with our readers. This first-person account was written by Llonae Popley Ballintine. When people ask me why I chose accounting, I often think back to my childhood. Growing up in an immigrant family, money management was not an abstract concept—it was part of everyday life. 

When you're comparing CMA Exam prep, price is usually one of the first things you consider. That makes sense; between IMA membership, the CMA entrance fee, exam fees for both parts, and your review course, earning your Certified Management Accountant (CMA) credential is a real investment and you want every dollar to count. But the sticker price alone isn't the only indicator of which option is best for you.

Real estate accounting is a growing and lucrative field that provides exciting opportunities for CPAs and accountants, whether you’re taking the first step into your career or a veteran searching for a new challenge. And if you’re already employed as a real estate accountant, you know that the industry is constantly changing — meaning there are always new skills to develop and regulations to learn.

Learn about the importance of banking accounting and how to get started in this industry.